


A Small Moment

by WritingItDunn



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Gen, Introspection, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Tony knows what to say
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-13 23:58:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10524642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingItDunn/pseuds/WritingItDunn
Summary: Everyone has a moment of doubt, a moment where they give up everything.Even superheroes, it's all part of being human.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So this has been bouncing around in my head for some time.  
> And it has Buffy The Vampire Slayer to thank for it. In the later seasons, Buffy admits that she gave up and the moment she did it was in the middle of doing something so common place as putting a book on a shelf with no fan fare or emotion.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it and I hope it makes sense because I feel like I waffled on with no particular direction, but it felt right for this. Let me know how you feel!

People always seem to think that giving up is only ever shown as some kind of emotional upheaval, tears, shouting, snot, and as Tony would describe it ‘being one hell of a hot mess’. Admittedly that was his favourite way to describe himself so Steve wasn’t sure how much that actually counted for more everyday people.

But in this moment, after finally managing to breach the Kevlar wrapped sandbag the billionaire made just for him to use and abuse. That was the moment Steve Rogers; Captain America.

Gave up.

Lives had been lost senselessly in Sokovia, as well as Johannesburg, Bucky was still in the wind, and the public was questioning if the Avengers were really the saviours they claimed they were against the threats no normal person could engage.

He rests his head against the bag breathing heavily while feeling a bead of sweat form on his forehead losing himself in the sensation in the salted water got too heavy to stay in place and run down his nose to escape to the mat below him. Is there any point in fighting when everyone they came up against was just a new threat who would bring an even higher death toll? Is there really any strength as a whole for this group when both Thor and Bruce have disappeared and he and Tony can’t go more than a week without having an argument that would have them both snippy and defensive for days afterwards?

“So. Looks like I have to go back to the drawing board then.” He hears Tony state loudly behind him, he takes a moment to think if there was any sarcasm to it, but it’s not. It was as Tony made it sound. A statement. He pulls himself together and looks at the bag and the sand that has since buried the sweat drop that had fallen, it somehow felt poetic enough to make Steve offer the world a rueful smile.

“Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be, it’s refreshing to engineer something that doesn’t require a soldering iron or any of Dum-E’s help.” He smirks as he comes over to Steve, his hands in the pockets of his jeans, thumbs hanging out of them, the very image of confident and casual. It was almost worth Steve’s envy. “Natasha and Clint are arguing over dinner, he want’s pizza, she wants Indian. Not that I blame her. Vision doesn’t have to eat and Wanda seems to be keeping quiet. Looks like you’re going to have to come up and make an authority call.”

Something inside Steve wants him to break into hysterical laughter, here he is deciding to give up on trying to save the world anymore and everyone else is quibbling over food. Proving that no matter what he decides for himself the world will just keep turning with or without his choices.

“Why didn’t you make that call?” Steve can’t help but ask, after all, Tony is the one that lets them live not only in the tower but the Upstate facility they are all in now and has never once abstained from given his opinion on any subject as far as Steve has ever seen. He looks at Tony who is just watching him in return with only a mild expression on his face. Tony raises his shoulders slightly and takes a hand out of his pocket to rest on the bag, making a show of inspecting the break.

“I’m just the money, you’re the boss of this outfit. After all, when in America, do as Captain America says.” Then he looks directly at Steve. “And Natasha is less likely to complain when it’s you making the choice.” Then he turns and starts to walk out the room, with that air he always has that he just expects people to follow him.

This is why. Why he shouldn’t give up. It doesn’t matter what the public or the politicians think about how they conduct themselves when it comes to keeping the over the top evils of this planet. It doesn’t matter if Steve feels like he is in over his head in a world he’s never sure he’ll truly understand.

He has a team, friends who are there for him and for all his arguing with Tony, this moment proves that no matter what, he always knows exactly what to say to get the reaction he wants out of someone.

“Are you coming? Because if I go back to that kitchen and find a hole, it’s going to be your problem to fix it.” With an obvious eye roll, Steve goes to his gym bag and picks it up while pulling out a towel to wipe his face before catching up with Tony.

It’s okay if you want to give up, Steve thinks as they get into the elevator and smirks at Tony’s dismissal of his apologies for the smell in such small quarters. Giving up is human and admitting that you can’t handle everything is empowering in itself. He doesn’t have to save the world alone, even though it can feel like it’s never the case. Steve has people there for him, and as weird as they all clearly are, each of them will do their bit to help him get the jobs done, the big jobs like stopping Ultron or Loki to the small jobs like making sure he hasn’t missed the latest episode of iZombie or reminding him that he isn’t alone.

His friends will always be there for him. Even if they aren’t even aware of what they are doing for him simply by just being there.

 


End file.
